Life With You
by Catherine4
Summary: Dani & Scott Things have been going wrong for a while. Will they get their relationship back on track? Chapter 3
1. Default Chapter

I don't own anything, unfortunately! Give me access to Kip Gamblin for half an hour and I'll be your friend for life!

Chapter 1

Scott sat alone in the living room at the palace and flicked the remote control between MTV and some nature show about snakes. He only barely registered the flashing images on the screen and was staring past the TV at the wall. He finally switched off the television and put the control down on the coffee table.

Scott sighed, rubbing his forehead with his hands for the hundredth time today. It was half past 6, Alf had sent him home and two hours ago from work. 'You're not much use to me while you're moping around like this' Mr. Stuart had said. He had protested of course, but he knew he was right. He'd done nothing on the boat all day but wish he wasn't there. But now he was home, he just wanted to go back to work, anything to keep his mind off Dani.

For two days he'd been wondering non-stop what she was doing and how she was feeling but something was stopping him. He had a feeling it was nothing but his stupid pride. He didn't know where they're relationship stood. They hadn't broken up, not officially anyway, just drifted apart.

Argh! Scott punched a cushion to try and alleviate some of his frustration but it did little to change his mood. He'd gone from depression to anger in only a few minutes. He was angry at himself, no one else. Dani was pushing him away, so what did he do? He let her. She was going through hell right now, with Kane and Kirsty, he should have been a better person and stuck by her. What kind of boyfriend was he? Maybe it was his fault.

If you love someone you don't just abandon them when they need you most. Scott was trying to tell himself that Dani had her family around her, she was OK, but he was just fooling himself. The Sutherlands were falling apart and he couldn't do anything to stop it. But he could be there for her, not sitting here alone feeling sorry for himself.

Scott hated this. He wanted nothing more than to take Dani in his arms and tell her everything was going to be alright. It wouldn't, not that easily anyway. But sometimes all it takes is a hug and a few comforting words to make things a little better, at least for a while.

He took the cushion in his hands again but this time threw I across the room, displacing a few books from the bookshelf and sending them clattering to the floor. Dani probably hated him right now. But not half as much as he hated himself.

Scott was so absorbed in his own thoughts that he never heard Hayley walk through the door.

"Hey" she said, entering the living room, "what did that cushion ever do to you?" When she got no reply, she flung her book bag down on the floor and went back into the kitchen. "Tea? Coffee? Juice?"

Scott groaned. "Anything a little stronger?"

"It's a bit early to start that isn't it?"

Scott sighed, getting up himself to go and retrieve a beer. Hayley filled up the kettle and put it on to boil and perched precariously on the edge of the table. "You two still fighting?"

Scott shrugged. "I wish. At least then we'd be talking."

Hayley sighed. "What happened Scott? You two are so right for each other."

He turned to face her from the fridge and offered her an unsure half-smile. "I just can't seem to say the right thing. Everything I do upsets her, I tried to just deal with it. I understand that she's having a hard time right now, but I've run out of ways to help."

Hayley took this in. "Being there is enough."

"I've tried, she just keeps pushing me away."

Hayley slid of the table and walked towards him. "Don't you dare think about leaving her now."

He truthfully hadn't. He would never dream of doing anything that was cause her that much pain. He'd just needed some space to try and work out what to do for the better. "I swear on my life, I would never do that. I love her so much, but I just don't now what to do."

"Well, sitting here isn't the answer" replied Hayley, softening. "Go and talk to her."

"And say what?"

"I don't know, anything. Everything you've just told me." She smirked. "And all the stuff you've no doubt been thinking about all day. Alf said you were a bit pre occupied."

"Yeah" Scott said simply. "I want to sort things out. Maybe I'll know what to say when I see her."

Dani sat in her car, tapping her fingernails nervously on the steering wheel as she stared out the window. She'd parked a little way down the road from the house Scott shared with Noah and Hayley. Dani had been sitting there for a good 10 minutes debating whether or not to go up to the door.

She wanted to talk to Hayley, talk through her problems with her best friend but she didn't want to run into Scott. Not yet, not until she'd sorted her head out. She was scared of what he might say. She'd been doing all she could to distance herself from anyone who might get hurt, she didn't want her problems to bring down the people she loved. So Dani had spent her time ignoring him, picking fights about nothing, just to drive him away.

She hated herself for it though. She loved him so much, and anyone could tell he loved her too. She was foolish to think trying to end things this way would stop the inevitable hurt. The truth was it was a thousand times worse than if she had just come out and said it was over.

Dani couldn't bring herself to though. At least this way she wasn't outright lying. Not that there was much difference, not that this way made any more sense. Nothing made sense in her life anymore, not without Scott.

Dani had spent the last 2 days going over and over everything in her mind, trying to make some sort of sense out of the mess she had caused. At the beginning she tried to tell herself that it was the right thing to do but she had come to realise that just because she was angry and upset, it didn't give her the right to take it out on other people. Especially at the expense of other everyone's happiness, including hers.

In those 2 short days, which felt like a lifetime, sinse she last spoke to Scott, she's done nothing with her waking hours than think about him. She'd spent a good proportion of her sleeping hours thinking about him too. She kept going over and over the last time they spoke. She couldn't even remember what had been said, it was all a blur. Dani only remembered the feeling of pain and frustration that hung in the air, two emotions that now seems to follow her around where ever she went.

She wanted to believe she was strong, that she didn't need anyone to help her through this, that she was perfectly capable of dealing with it on her own but it was painfully clear the moment she'd watched Scott walk out the door that she needed him.

Not just because she was feeling fragile, not just because she couldn't stand seeing her baby sister with the man who had attacked her in the past and now dug up those feelings she was trying so hard to burry. But just because she felt a huge chunk of her was missing when he wasn't holding her.

After Kane she never thought she could trust a man again. But Will had helped her through it. Then Josh. But neither of them were the one. She wasn't totally sure if Scott was either but she would never know if she didn't suck it up and go and see him.

But she had pushed him away. Scott had been so loyal, put up with so much. And she had kept pushing him and pushing him until he had to leave. She was selfish and stupid and however much she wanted things to go back to the way they were she knew she didn't have any right to expect him to forgive her.

"Get a grip Dani" she whispered to herself, suddenly aware she was talking to an empty car. "This is ridiculous. Just go and talk to him."

She paused for only a second longer before taking the keys out the ignition and opening the door. She stepped out the car into the heat and found herself squinting because of the sun.

"He's not going to be there anyway" she muttered to herself as she walked up the path. "he's still at work." Dani had thought about going down to the Warf to see him about 20 times today. She couldn't concentrate in class, she was pretty sure she had an essay to write by next week but she couldn't, for the life of her, remember what it was on. By the end of the day she'd given up trying to pay attention completely and occupied herself by staring out of the window.

"Come on" she said again, feeling slightly foolish that she was again talking to herself. "What's the worse that could happen."

She looked up from the ground to see Scott standing about 5 metres away from her. She stopped dead in her tracks and stared at him, a wave of nausea passing through her. Scott's face broke out into a smile. "Dani…"

"I uh… I need to talk to Hayley." She brushed past him, cursing cowardice as she raced towards the house. She didn't look over her shoulder, she didn't want to see the look of hurt on his face. She didn't stop until she got inside and closed the door behind her.

Hayley was standing by the sink looking out the window. She'd seen what just happened and glanced at Dani with a confused look on her face. "Dani, what was that?"

Dani just shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. She sat down at the kitchen table and buried her head in her hands. "I can't" she said simply, not looking up. Her voice was muffled but she was only half talking to Hayley. "I can't talk to him, I don't know what to say. I've been so stupid, where do I even start?"

She heard the chair leg scrape across the floor as Hayley sat down opposite her. "Running away from him isn't the answer."

"It's better than making an even bigger fool of myself. I don't want to act like this, I don't want to upset him or force him away, I don't know what's wrong with me. Whenever anyone tries to help me I just run away."

"Not always literally I hope."

Dani laughed. A nervous laugh that did nothing to calm her fears.

"Sorry, I didn't mean that. I've just listened to him pine after you. Trust me Dan, he's beating himself up too. He thinks it's his fault."

Dani lifted her head off the table. "What? No, he's been brilliant. It's me who's stuffed everything up."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Scott played with a long piece of grass he'd yanked out of the ground. He stared down at the sand from the top of the beach where he sat and beyond that, the sea. The sun was beginning to set on the horizon. There were only a few people left on the beach now and he couldn't hear anything but the gentle waves lapping the shore.

Despite the rapidly fading dim sunlight, Scott knew it was late. He was tired, he needed sleep. But he also knew that Dani would want to talk to Hayley undisturbed. He discarded his piece of grass and wondered if they'd finished talking. He knew Dani had to work out her feelings before they could try and make things write, he also knew what a great counselor Hayley was. She'd helped Scott work out how he was feeling.

He was still thinking. Only now he was not agonizing over his relationship disappearing slowly down the drain. He was still thinking of Dani but now he had a huge grin on his face. He could see now how selfish he'd been for not fully understanding what she was going through and vowed then to make it up to her.

He would do anything to get her back, whatever it took. Scott was feeling optimistic now, no longer wallowing in self-pity over what a failure he was as a boyfriend. He was determined things were going to be different. He would talk to Dani and everything would be fine.

So what was he doing sitting here?

He watched a couple leave the beach as they walked arm in arm up the bank. He smiled. That would be him and Dani again soon enough. Scott pushed himself to his feet and he too turned to leave. There was no one left on the sand now or in the water. Night had well and truly set in.

When he reached the Palace again 10 minutes later, he found Hayley cuddled up on the sofa in front of the TV. Alone. Scott sighed; he'd just have to wait until tomorrow to see Dani.

Hayley turned to see him chuck his keys down on the table and seemed to be able to read his mind. "She left about 20 minutes ago" Hayley said. Scott nodded. She switched off the TV and turned her full attention to him. "She does love you, you know."

"I know" Scott said simply with a whimsical grin on his face. "I'll do something about it tomorrow." Hayley opened her mouth to argue but he stopped her before she could. "It's ten thirty Hayls, it's dark." She gave him a look as if to say 'yeah yeah, that's what you say'. "I promise."

She sighed and glared at him for a second, then went back to watching the TV. "Well you better."

Dani awoke to find the morning sunshine streaming through a gap in the curtains, casting patterns on the ceiling of her otherwise darkened room. She caught site of the clock, it read 10:17 am. She wondered momentarily why her alarm hadn't gone off then realised with a satisfied sigh that it was Saturday.

She could hear the sounds that filled the house every morning downstairs, coupled with the sound of familiar voices. Beth was on the phone talking to Robbie, Rhys was discussing work with anyone that was listening, Jade was taking breakfast orders, Kirsty was complaining that there wasn't any milk.

"Max, give me the remote!" And Kit and Max were arguing over what to watch on TV.

Dani's urge to go downstairs and join her family was far outweighed by her desire to enjoy this very rare lie-in. She sank back down into her pillow and closed her eyes, deciding to relax in the warmth of her bed.

That was until another voice joined the medley of sounds. This voice was more familiar and comforting than any of them.

Dani's initial excitement of hearing that Scott was downstairs was replaced with anxiety and dread as soon as she started to remember the previous week's events. What if Hayley was wrong? What if he didn't want to work things out after all? What if she had messed things up for good?

Dani began to mentally talk to herself like she had been yesterday. 'What's the worst that could happen? He could tell me it's over, that's what.'

She realised what she was doing and stopped mid thought. She was going crazy, no sane person talks to themselves. 'I am going crazy, without Scott.'

"Cheesy!" she muttered under her breath and flung the duvet to the floor. Dani was not going to learn the answers to any of her questions unless she got out of bed. The chances of working things out would be greatly improved if she actually went and talked to him.

"Robbie and the twins are arriving next week, we need to talk about sleeping arrangements." Beth tipped a teaspoon of sugar into her black coffee and looked at Rhys.

"I'm not sleeping on the couch!" was Max's reply. "I'd rather live in one of the vans."

Jade swallowed her toast. "Now there's an idea…"

"No one's going anywhere" Beth continued. "You'll all get on fine."

"Mum, I wouldn't go that far. Grudging acceptance maybe."

The whole family were sitting at the table with Scott standing behind Kit's chair, tossing his keys from one hand to the other. At her remark, he whacked his sister on the arm.

"Seriously Kit, what are they like?" Kirsty asked.

"Horrible."

Scott opened his mouth and was about to say something when he looked up and saw Dani standing just outside the doorway, attempting to work up the courage to join in. She smiled shyly when their eyes met. It felt like she was back on the beach and they were looking at each other for the first time.

"Dani…"

She walked through the door. "Hey."

"Hello love, do you want some breakfast?"

Dani shook her head at Beth's question. "Maybe later."

Beth looked from Dani to Scott and nodded, seeing the expressions on their faces.

"Dani, can we talk?"

"Of course." She didn't mean for it to sound quite so relieved and desperate. But she was relieved that they were talking again, and desperate for everything to go back to the way it was.

"Let's take a walk."

"Babe, we can make it work." Scott took Dani's hands in his and faced her, taking in every detail of her face bathed in sunlight and her beautiful emerald eyes. She returned his gaze for a beat, before looking down at the sand and turning away. He grabbed her arm, gently, but firmly enough no to let her go. He never wanted to let her go. "No. We can, we have to. Talk to me, nothing can every go right if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Dani opened her mouth but stopped before any sound escaped her lips. Was this all he wanted, to talk? She could tell by the glint in his eye and the smile on his face that he truly believed every word he was saying. 'Talk to me, and we can work things out.' It seemed too easy.

"I want to, I want to tell you everything. I just…" Dani tried to search for the words. "I don't want to burden you. My problems, with Kane and my family. I don't want them to get in the way of us."

"Dani." Scott moved his hands up to her face, pulling her closer to him. "Your problems are my problems. The same as mine are yours. This is what a relationship is, a partnership. We can work together through anything, we just have to connect."

"But it's so complicated…"

"Everyone has a past, I understand. Life isn't meant to be simple." He stopped and his serious expression was replaced by a slightly mischievous wink. "Where's the fun in that?"

Dani smiled. He always made her smile. "Sometimes I find it hard. It's not that I don't trust you, I just…" She shook her head. "I don't know." She once again met his eyes with her own. "I'll make an effort, I promise."

He kissed her on the forehead. She relished his lips on her skin and it made her happy. It was easy, she didn't know what she had been worrying about for days. They had been talking for a while, 40 minutes maybe. She didn't know the time, it didn't seem important. It was the first time she had truly opened up to anyone for a long time, and it felt good. She had been wary about revealing her feelings to anyone, but Scott wasn't anyone. He was the man she loved, why she had been so worried about talking to him she didn't know.

She knew it wasn't over She still had a lot to work through, they both did. Feelings of anger, anxiety, worry. But it would seem a lot easier if she wasn't alone. They had to work on their relationship, she understood that. Maybe they needed things to get bad before they could get good again. This was a fresh start.

"I love you."

Those were the three words that Dani treasured the most. She'd said them many times before, to guys in the past. And she had no doubt that Scott had said them before to another girl. But this time she could tell that he meant them. And when Dani replied, echoing the exact phrase, she had never meant anything more in her life.

Scott held out his arms and she stepped warily towards him. He nodded, sensing her apprehensiveness and that invitation was all she needed. "I love you too." She felt his strong, protective arms surround her body and never wanted them to part from his embrace.

After what seemed like forever, he released her. "Lets go out tonight."

"Where?"

"Leave it to me. This can be a new start for both of us. A second first date." His serious manner then returned, but it wasn't stern. It was calm and reassuring and Dani felt compelled to agree to whatever he was going to say. Anything to return to the way things should be. "But it won't work if we're not honest with each other. From now on no secrets. Deal?"

"Deal."


	3. Chapter 3

_Here's the newest chapter! Sorry it's been so long, I hope someone's still interested. Cat xxx_

**Chapter 3 **

Jade watched her sister as she walked through the front door and placed her bag on the table. She picked up the remote and shut of the TV, turning to face Dani with a questioning look on her face. "What are you looking so happy about?"

Dani either didn't hear her, or chose not to answer, instead she walked through to the kitchen and opened the fridge. Jade stood up and followed her with urgency. "Dani! What's with you?"

"Scott" she answered simply and took a sip of her orange juice.

Jade leant on the counter. "Are you going to move back into the palace?"

"Trying to get rid of me?"

Dani didn't sound hurt. She had the biggest smile plastered across her face and she was pretty sure nothing anyone said or did to her could change that. "I don't know, I don't really want to ask." She put her empty glass next to the sink. "I mucked things up pretty badly Jade, it's up to him if he wants things to go back to the way they were."

The smile that had slipped slightly was now back in full force. "I'm just happy he's talking to me." She paused. "And taking me out. Tonight."

Dani's smile was infectious. Jade now wore the same expression. "Really! Where? What time?"

"I don't know" Dani replied, with a whimsical look on her face. "He's surprising me."

"Wow." Scott opened the Sutherland's front door and the simple expression of astonishment left his lips before he could stop it. He looked at Dani in her figure-hugging red floral dress and high heels and felt drastically under dressed in his shirt and jeans. Her hair had a slight wave to it, and it flowed over her shoulders beautifully. He wanted to kiss her hair that moment, to smell the sweet aroma of her shampoo, and run his fingers through her silky locks. But he shook his head and told himself to focus.

"You look fantastic" he continued when his brain had finally caught up with him.

Dani gave an apprehensive smile. "Thanks, you're not looking bad yourself."

Scott laughed nervously and looked at the floor like a bashful school boy. "I didn't expect you to go to this much trouble…"

"It's no trouble" Dani's eyes glistened, and Scott felt reassured. "Me and Jade had a girly bonding session, it was fun."

Scott seemed to gain confidence. "Well, I hope my company will live up to a Sutherland pampering session."

"Of course. So what have you got planned."

"Ah, now that would be telling. Close your eyes."

Dani wasn't expecting a fancy restaurant. Secretly she was hoping it wouldn't be a fancy restaurant. When she felt the soft sand between her toes and opened her eyes to see the candle lit picnic before her she left out a sigh. This is what she wanted. In her dreams, when she had been imagining her and Scott sorting things out and finally getting back on track, this is exactly what she'd had in mind. Just them and some wine and the gentle lapping of waves against the rocks. No distractions. Not that she thought in a million years this was the way it would turn out.

Scott gripped her hand and with his other arm guided her down the grass slope towards the picnic blanket. For a moment he just enjoyed her touch, not caring about anything else. But then suddenly he seemed to realize what he was doing and nervously pulled away. He was scared of touching her again, holding her. Scared that she'd reject him after the way he'd acted. She said it wasn't his fault but…

She grabbed his right arm and replaced it around her waist where it had been only moments before. He caught sight of her eyes in his and understood. She didn't need to say anything, one look conveyed it all. She truly had forgiven him, and she wanted things to return to normal.

Sensing Scott's unease, Dani grinned and skipped forward with enthusiasm. "This is beautiful Scott, how did you organize all this at such short notice?"

He didn't want to tell her that he'd been planning this moment out in his mind for weeks. Every hour he was awake or dreaming he'd been planning exactly what it would be like when she'd take him back. But they'd said no lies, so he didn't answer her question.

"You like it then?"

"I love it." Dani looked more closely at the scene now. The soft blue blanket was laid out at one end of the beach, near some rocks. At least 2 dozen candles were spread around, on the sand and the rocks, and the flames flickered gracefully in the darkness. There was just enough light where they stood to see he deep mysterious brown eyes and the glow of his skin that she so desperately wanted to reach out and touch.

"Madam, do take a seat." Scott beamed at her. He motioned towards the blanket with a gentlemanly bow and she obliged with a girly giggle. "Would you like some wine?"

Half an hour later they were sitting there, totally at east with each other like the past few weeks had never happened. Scott reached for the bottle of white wine and topped up Dani's glass and then his own. They had eaten a meal of pasta courtesy of Leah and the Diner and now Scott brought out of the hamper a large bowl of fresh strawberries and pineapple and mango.

The weather was warm and Dani had discarded the light shawl she wore to the beach. Both of them had lost their shoes, feeling more comfortable as the evening went on. Scott hadn't even looked at his watch, he didn't want to know the time, he didn't want the evening to end. Ever.

Neither of them had noticed but their bodies had got closer and closer by the minute. Their sides were touching and their fingers were intertwined between them.

"Cheers!" Scott said, raising his glass. Dani followed. "Here's to us and the future."

Dani felt calmer than she had in a long time. She was not pretending that the wine hadn't taken effect, she knew it had, but it was something more. Being in the presence of the man you loved knowing that he loved you back was possibly the best feeling Dani had felt in her life.

She picked up a strawberry and tasted it's fresh ripe juice. It tasted natural, and sweeter than any chocolate cake. Scott watched her, mesmerised. Some of the candles had flickered out, so the soft orange glow had died a little. But the silver moonlight was bright, and he could see her as clear as if it were daylight.

He could sense her too. He could hear her breathing, and feel her touch, and smell her familiar perfume that he loved. There was not one thing about her sitting in front of him right then that he didn't love. Every bad thing that had happened between them was forgotten.

When the fruit bowl was emptied and their glasses drained, Scott took Dani's hand in his and lifted her to her feet. "Let's take a walk."

The water was cool and refreshing. The calm surf splashed around their ankles as they walked from their secluded spot back towards civilisation, back to their lives. Dani & Scott were starting anew.

They'd only been walking for a few minutes but everything that wasn't happening there and then was filed away somewhere deep in their minds. Even their picnic stuff that they'd been enjoying was forgotten and they were enjoying each other's company. The only thing Scott carried was the soft blue blanket, in case the weather grew colder.

Beth would no doubt complain about her dishes being left out in the elements, and Colleen would complain about them littering the beach. Scott laughed.

"What's so funny?"

He hadn't even known he had laughed. "Oh, I was just picturing what a fuss mum would make when she realises we've abandoned her crystal glasses."

"We're not going back for it then?"

"Nope."

Before he knew what he was doing, he was facing Dani and had encircled both arms around her waist. "I don't care about the stuff. I don't car about anything else." There was a playful urgency in his words that captivated Dani and made her listen on. "All I care about is you and me, right here right now."

Dani didn't reply, not with words anyway. She didn't need to say anything she just took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. When she released him and pulled away, a contented and relax smile was dancing on her lips. He still had hold of her. First her arms then his hands slowly crept down and were now draped around her waist. His touch soothed her and she couldn't remember a time when she hadn't felt like this in his arms.

They stood there in silence, Scott studied Dani's face, trying to figure out what she was thinking. He waited, and she was the first to speak. "I don't want to go home yet."

"Where's home?"

Scott was asking the same question as Jade had earlier, she could see it in his eyes. She could see his silent plea and only thought for a moment. "Where do you want it to be?"

Scott didn't hesitate at all. "With me, like it was. Like I want it to be again. Dani, I've been and idiot…"

She silenced him with her finger on his lips and he sighed, letting out a slight laugh. "Ok, sorry…"

Dani shook her head and pulled out of his grip. They continued their walk along the moonlit beach holding hands like a couple of teenagers with their first crush. It was nice, the quiet air of innocence that hung between them now, all their past angst and heartbreak forgotten.

As Dani stared out at the calm, still ocean, the urge that she never wanted to leave this time and place came over her. It had been niggling her all night, but now it grew stronger.

"I wish we could stay out here all night. I'm not ready to see anyone else, I just want be here with you."

"Ok" Scott replied simply and kissed her quickly on the lips. "It's a good job I picked up this blanket."

"Are you serious?" Dani had only been half serious. But Scott felt the same. That felt good.

"Yeah, aren't you?"

Dani looked up ahead to see the lights of the empty surf club only a hundred metres away and then looked up to see clouds forming in the sky. Scott followed her gaze.

"You've not lived until you've slept outside in the elements."

"Oh, is that a fact?" Dani's playfulness was returning. "Well then let's live."


End file.
